Collection

The letters of Casa Ricordi are an invaluable resource not only for the history of music and
especially of opera, but also for our understanding of the complicated rapport between the worlds of
art and commerce. Indeed, the company’s ability to strike and safeguard a delicate balance between
artistic and business concerns was one of the principal reasons for its success. Throughout its history
there has been ample evidence of the tremendous time and energy Casa Ricordi dedicated to
relationships with those creative artists whose original work was essential to the publisher’s
economic viability and independence; but also with others who shared and helped disseminate the
fruits of their labor, including theatres, performers, and music periodicals, not to mention the vast
market of consumers both public and private. The autograph letters presented here range from the
beginning of its activity until 1948, when Tito II’s resignation marked the end of the family’s
stewardship.